♚ fifth step ♔

[polarisation]

[ When Sefton appears on the Plane, it's a little anticlimactic. In one hand, he's holding his tarot card-the Lovers-while his other hand is up at his mouth, wiping something off. He looks around, uncertain (and maybe a tiny bit guilty) for some reason. ]

Card's still here... Did it work? How'm I supposed to tell...?

[ Standard Sefton disclaimer

Comments

[formervanguard]

[Marta hasn't spotted Sefton yet, but she's come to the plane with a wilted flower in one hand and a fresh one in the other. She's nervously tapping their stems together as she walks, lost in her own thoughts]

[polarisation]

[ Sefton notices her after a moment, seeing the movement in his peripheral vision, but he keeps from trying to catch her attention for now. She has a card, and an ability that's probably easier to activate than his. But... after last time, approaching her now to ask about it would probably just send all the wrong signals and maybe set him back to square one, anyway.

He sighs to himself. Why do people have to be so complicated? ]

[formervanguard]

[You want complication, Sefton? Look in a mirror.

Marta still takes no notice of Sefton. When she's busy thinking, she's busy thinking, and that has all of her attention. She stops her walking and pacing, instead taking a seat on the "floor" of the Plane and looking at both flowers - or more accurately, looking past them into whatever world her mind is currently wrapped up in.]

[polarisation]

[ ... well, how complicated could it be to just ask if her power is working or not? Keep thinking that, boyo. ]

S' it not working anymore?

[formervanguard]

[She looks up with a "Hmm?" And her eyes got a little wide when she sees who it is.]

Y-you-... [She shakes her head and looks off to the side, her expression suddenly a glare (though it's all for show).] I don't know. What are you talking about?

[polarisation]

[ just answer the question and we can all get on with our lives 8| Hmph. He looks away a bit, too. ]

Your... card thing.

[formervanguard]

I thought you didn't care anyway.

[polarisation]

When'd I say that?

[formervanguard]

[She turns her glare on him.] Well, you really didn't have to say it, I hope you realize.

[She holds the glare for half a second, silent, then looks off to the side with a "hmph!"]

... No, it doesn't work anymore. [She tosses the wilted flower to the ground.]

[polarisation]

[ He takes that news in, ignoring the first part of what she says, and looks... relieved? ]

Good.

[formervanguard]

I don't know if it's good or bad, but it's different anyway. Though... Yeah, everything's back to the way it was before, I guess. Right?

[polarisation]

Hope so, anyway.

[formervanguard]

[She nods. She stands, brushing off her skirt out of reflex, and twirls the fresh flower around in one hand as she turns away from Sefton.]

Well I guess you got your answer. Are you going to just go now?

[polarisation]

... Yeah, probably.

[formervanguard]

Fine, then. I'm not exactly keeping you here, anyway. [She walks off a few steps, but stops there and just looks down at the flower.]

[polarisation]

[ Sefton hesitates, swallowing down the bitter taste of whatever the weird ritual involved (literally) and saves her the trouble. If she bothers to turn around, he won't be there anymore. ]